Pre-natal henna

Just wondering the best way to seal a henna'd belly. I usually like to use lemon-sugar, but I'm thinking cause most people will put their shirt down over it, it might be too sticky. It seems like too huge a surface to use medical tape. What have you tried?

Also, what are some good books for pre-natal henna? And what's a good way to practice belly henna without a belly?

I use mefix on bellies, it's less tape on a belly than you would use on a full bride. Plus if the Mum's pull off the tape carefully they can frame the tape with the henna design stuck to it. As for practice, a balloon perhaps?

I don't seal anything but brides anymore, and I only seal brides because they expect it. Its part of the tradition. I just put plenty of sugar IN the paste and tell them to try and take it easy until its time for the paste to come off. I get great color, so I know it works just fine!

I am with Jen on this one, use enough sugar in your paste and have them kick back for a while. If that is not an option, Mefix tape works great on bellies. I have also seen some who spray lemon/sugar on the design then unroll cotton balls and cover the sticky stuff with the cotton. For belly designs, I like Justine Howland-Goodwin's book "La Belly Luna". There are a couple of others I haven't got yet, but which look good. "Brides, Blossoms, and Bellies" by Heather Caunt-Nulton and "LulaBee" by Tammi Glanzer-Boudreau. Also, just about any design can be modified and customized to fit a belly.